Coatesville employees plan to work on Monday

COATESVILLE — The city’s employees are planning to be at work on Monday despite the fact that the finance director has announced that it cannot afford to pay its bills, according to various union officials.

City Council voted against a withdrawal from the trust fund that would allow the city to continue to pay its regularly scheduled bills. Without the withdrawal, Finance Director John Marcarelli said the city could make a final payroll on Friday, but will not be able to pay any bills beginning on Monday. Another vote on the withdrawal is expected on Monday.

City Manager Kirby Hudson said he expects employees to show up on Monday and has not sent any information to employees with his expectations.

“There was no need for a memo, everyone knows what’s going on,” Hudson said. “I am confident that this will work out, as crazy as that sounds.”

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Shawn Dowds, president of the police union, said all of the officers will be at work on Monday and will continue to serve the residents of Coatesville.

“We have an obligation to the citizens of the city to do our job,” Dowds said. “We are hoping City Council does the right thing and passes a resolution (to make a withdrawal from the trust fund) so business can go on as usual.”

Dowds said the union has begun to prepare plans to move forward if council does not approve the withdrawal. However, he said those plans would not be revealed until after Monday’s decision.

Rick Poulson, the attorney for both the police and firefighters’ unions in the city, said all of the workers in those organizations are planning to work on Monday. He said no matter what the employees of the city will be paid whether it is mandated by contract or by state and federal law.

“It’s a matter of council doing what they’re required to do voluntarily or being forced by a judge,” Poulson said.

He said that since the city has the money to pay its bills, it must make those payments under law. It cannot simply choose to not meet its financial obligations if the funds are available in some account, he said.

“Coatesville’s police officers and firefighters have taken an oath, so there is no reason to believe those men and women won’t be there,” Poulson said.

Poulson said there has not been any “rhyme or reason” for the council’s three votes against withdrawing the funds.

“Everyone deserves better here,” Poulson said.

A union member for the firefighters did not return a request for comment. Leslie Denson, the union shop steward for the non-uniformed employees of the city, declined to comment. Their regional union representative could not be reached for comment.

Hudson said he hopes that even if council does not approve the withdrawal on Monday that employees continue to come to work on Tuesday. He added that he has warned council that while he will encourage their attendance, council must be prepared for the possibility of workers staying home.